Paul Weller by Paul Weller
Paul Weller is Paul Weller's first solo album, released in 1992. After disbanding The Style Council and leaving label Polydor in 1989, Weller formed The Paul Weller Movement in 1990, releasing a single, Into Tomorrow, on his own Freedom High record label, in October 1991. Its success - reaching #36 in the UK chart - led to Weller being offered a new record deal with Go! Discs, and the resulting album was released on 1 September 1992, reaching #8 on the UK album chart.
Paul Weller is British pop star royalty. He established his reputation as the leader of the mod-influenced, punk-era (1977-82) Jam before fronting the soul-derived Style Council in the ‘80s and forging a solo career throughout the ‘90s and onward that has now included eight critically acclaimed solo albums. <i>Hit Parade</i> is his first-ever complete career retrospective, and it’s an embarrassment of riches. “Town Called Malice,” “Going Underground,” “That’s Entertainment” and “My Ever Changing Moods” are among the most affecting songs of any era, heard here alongside other carefully crafted, less known material putting Weller’s reputation beyond reproach. His twist from vibrant new wave pop-rock to soul music emerged gradually within the Jam where his literate works were subjected to powerful thrashings, eventually leading to the mannered productions that have since become his trademark. He has never achieved massive success in the United States, but his influence on the Brit Pop movement, from Blur to Oasis, is undeniable and deeply felt.
